May-Treanor, Walsh, Branagh Receive FIVB Honors

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Nov. 26, 2008) – U.S. beach volleyball player and two-time Olympic gold medalist Misty May-Treanor was named the FIVB’s top player of 2008 along with China’s Xi Zhang on Wednesday.

May-Treanor, 30, captured three "most outstanding player of the event" awards on the SWATCH FIVB World Tour this season and also won the award at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. May-Treanor was named the SWATCH most outstanding player at 2008 FIVB stops in Berlin, Paris and Stavanger, Norway. May-Treanor and Walsh have won their last 69 international matches with 10-straight gold medal finishes.

May-Treanor (Costa Mesa, Calif.) was also named the top player in 2005 with her partner Kerri Walsh (Saratoga, Calif.) winning the award in 2007.

May-Treanor and Walsh also captured 2008 individual awards along with the United States’ Nicole Branagh (Orinda, Calif.), who became the first player in SWATCH FIVB World Tour history to win medals with three different partners during one international beach volleyball season.

After winning four SWATCH FIVB World Tour titles in 2008, May-Treanor and Walsh have increased their FIVB record for gold medals to 35 for 59 events with $1,540,540 in earnings to rank second behind Brazil’s Shelda Bede and Adriana Behar on the all-time list. May-Treanor and Walsh have reached the FIVB podium 50 times with 52 semifinal appearances together and a 346-35 match record.

May-Treanor was also named the 2008 top defensive and best offensive player and shared the sportsperson-of-the-year honor with Walsh for the second-straight season. Walsh won the top blocker award for the fourth-straight season and was third in voting for best offensive player.

May-Treanor and Walsh finished second and third respectively in voting for most inspirational player, which was won by Brazil’s Shelda.

The 29-year-old Branagh, who won SWATCH gold medals this season with Elaine Youngs (El Toro, Calif.) in Barcelona and Walsh in Dubai, was honored as the most improved player on the international circuit. Branagh and May-Treanor finished in a tie for second for best hitter.

Branagh ended the season by placing second and third in the final two SWATCH FIVB World Tour stops in Thailand and China with Tyra Turner (Fort Myers Beach, Fla.). Branagh and Youngs placed fifth at the 2008 Olympic Games.

In addition to winning her fourth-straight most inspirational player award, the 35-year-old Shelda partnered with Ana Paula to win the SWATCH team-of-the-year honors as the Brazilians won three FIVB gold medals this season in Poland, Switzerland and Australia en route to the point’s championship.

Shelda is first on the individual all-time women’s SWATCH FIVB World Tour earnings list with $1,268,683 for a record 138 events. For 120 FIVB starts together, Shelda and Adriana compiled a record $2,207,965 in winnings with 31 gold medals, 85 podium placements and 96 semifinal appearances.

A two-time, beach volleyball Olympian, Ana Paula has won 11 SWATCH FIVB World Tour gold medals with five different partners. With $249,800 in winnings this season with Shelda, Ana Paula’s share propelled her into a top 10 ranking on the career FIVB’s individual earnings lists ($615,228).

The 25-year-old Maria Clara was honored as the SWATCH top server for the 2008 season after setting a tour record with an 86 km per hour serve at June’s stop in Poland where she and her sister captured the Stare Jablonki medal. Ana Paula (83.0), the winner of the service award the previous five years, placed third this season behind American April Ross (Costa Mesa, Calif.) whose top serve was 85.7 km per hour.

The 24-year-old Bibiana Candelas of Mexico was named the rookie-of-the year as she and partner Mayra Garcia posted all eight of their qualifying finishes for the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008. Despite competing in only 11 of the 19 women’s events on the 2008 SWATCH FIVB World Tour, Candelas and Garcia were still the 29th-ranked team on the international circuit for Mexico’s best team finish since 2003.